There was a lot of confusion happening on the first Easter morning. The resurrection had happened but it was neither expected nor accepted by all at first. Mary Magdalene ran to tell the disciples what she saw, and they ran to check out her report. What they saw was compelling evidence of a resurrection, but only one of them really connected all the dots. Let's see why.

"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name" John 20:31.

Believe:879 is an epic journey through the book of John led by Pastor Skip Heitzig of Calvary of Albuquerque. As we explore each of the 879 verses of this gospel, we'll grow in grace and in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. From His pre-incarnate existence, to His public ministry, through His death and His resurrection we'll traverse familiar territory and embark on new adventures of faith.

Detailed Notes

"The modern student goes away to college in order to learn. They come back from the same school knowing that there is no way to know anything."—Ravi Zacharias

Three people visit the graveyard: all know something, only one is correct

Mary Magdalene

Saw with her own eyes

Made a false report

Peter

Saw with his own eyes

Puzzled by what he saw

John

Saw with his own eyes

Figured out what it meant

Changed everything for him

"The other disciple"

Went to the tomb and felt they knew something based on what they saw and experienced

Varied responses

Empty tomb differentiates Christianity from religions

Not quite empty

Items placed in caskets or tombs with bodies

Egyptians: King Tutankhamen buried with treasure valued at ¾ of a billion dollars

When Jesus left the tomb, He left a clue behind

The first day of the week: Christians celebrate the resurrected Lord on Sundays

The False Report: Not Every Idea About Christ Is Correct

Motivated by Emotion

Mary Magdalene

Only woman John mentions

At least four women came as a group

She came earlier than the others

Still dark

Last of four watches of the night

Between 3 am and 6 am

Unique love for Jesus

He gave what others could not: forgiveness

Cast out seven demons (see Luke 8:2)

According to the Talmud, Magdala renowned for prostitution

Many believe Mary had been a prostitute

Visited the tomb to demonstrate her love

First opportunity (couldn't visit on the Sabbath)

"Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little" (Luke 7:47)

Last at the cross; first at the tomb

Generated by an Assumption

Stone removed

Thinks the worst

Grave robbers not uncommon

Claudius made opening a sealed tomb (desecrating the body and taking from the tomb) a crime punishable by death

"They..."

We speak the same way: "They say..."

Generic, indiscriminate

Assumption: lowest form of communication

Read something into a situation that may or may not be true

Assign tone of voice

Adding our own interpretation

Filling in the blanks

Finishing a scenario

Taking what is black and white and adding our own color

Assumes the body is stolen

Untrue

Romans also made that up and circulated the story

Old Testament never predicted a stolen body

Jesus never said His body would be stolen

Not every idea about Christ is correct

Well-meaning followers of Christ can say things which aren't accurate

Just because a Christian said it doesn't make it true

Every belief held by anyone must be evaluated by more than experience

Mary's background helped form her belief

Hard life

Familiar with the worst side of men

Met and changed by Christ

In crisis, we typically revert to old ways of thinking

The First Responders: Not Every Reaction to Christ Is the Same

Peter and John Ran

Disciples had been locked behind closed doors

Fearful

Discouraged

Confused

Women announced the open tomb

Suggested resurrection

"And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them" (Luke 24:11)

Peter and John were moved by their words

John arrived first

Possibly healthy competition

More likely something going on in Peter

Like a child told, "Wait until dad comes home"

Peter denied Jesus

Mixed emotions of remorse and guilt

Not every reaction to Christ is the same

Mary: reported someone stole the body

Peter: puzzled

John: saw and believed

Peter and John Saw

Βλέπω; blepó-see, take notice (vv. 1; 5) - Mary

Θεωρέω; theóreó-to gaze, examine (v. 6) - Peter

ὁράω; horaó (εἶδεν; eiden)- to see with comprehension, understand (v. 8) John

John Believed

John knew Jesus is alive

"In that moment, John became the first Christian."—James Montgomery Boice

Peter and Mary will eventually understand

Not every reaction to Jesus Christ is the same

Be patient with those who don't understand as you do

The Factual Reality: Not Every Basis for Faith in Christ Is Stable

Jesus Was in Fact Alive

Jewish Burial

Buried the dead on the same day they died

Wrapped body in strips of cloth

Each limb wrapped separately

Placed myrrh and aloes in the folds

Wrapped entire body ankles to neck

Separate cloth or turban on the head

Dead boy sat up and started talking (see Luke 7:15)

Lazarus' face wrapped with a cloth (see John 11:44)

Grave clothes were undisturbed; in the shape of the body

His body had disappeared

According to John Stott, His body was vaporized and became something totally different

Knew the body was not moved or stolen (thieves would have taken the whole encasement)

If Jesus had swooned and resuscitated, the wrappings would have been scattered

Handkerchief

Not lying with cloths, but folded

Further proof of resurrection

Jesus wrapped it and placed it neatly

Jewish custom

At completion of enjoyed meal, crumple napkin and throw it on the plate

Meal not enjoyed fold the napkin and leave it in place

As if to say, "I'm not coming here again"

Stone was rolled away

Not to let Jesus out

He can walk through walls

He can vaporize into and out of rooms

To let the disciples in

The Bible Had in Fact Predicted It

Not every basis for faith in Christ is stable

What they knew was based on observation and personal experience

By the time of John's gospel they understood

Objective proof of the Scripture written in advance

Faith based on the Word of God

"Eyewitnesses of His majesty... we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place" (2 Peter 1:16; 2 Peter 1:19)

Subjective experience bound with objective truth is unshakeable

Personal experience alone won't sustain you

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Matthew 24:35)

"Last eve I paused beside the blacksmith's door,
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then looking in, I saw upon the floor,
Old hammers worn with beating years of time...
'And so,' I thought, 'The Anvil of God's Word
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon,
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The Anvil is unharmed, the hammers gone.'"
—John Clifford, D.D.

Transcript

Would you turn in your Bibles to the Gospel of John, Chapter 20. We finally made it to one of the best chapters in all of scripture, The Resurrection. We've been contemplating slowly and in depth all of the events that surround the crucifixion. And now, there's a turn in the corner. We come to the some of the greatest literature of all and that is what gives us hope.

John Chapter 20. Let's pray. Lord, the reason that we always pause before we consider any text. It's our way of saying that we need your help in understanding it, because as we understand, it can't only be with mental acuity or capacity, it must be something deeper, it must affect our actions. Only that can be done with the work of your spirits. And so, we say to you that we submit to you. We ask that you would search us and as you search us, direct us, establish our goings. We pray in Jesus name, Amen.

How does a person know anything at all? That is how is knowledge formed? How is knowledge established? How is knowledge developed? Those questions give rise to a branch of philosophy known as, here's the million dollar word "Epistemology", which is the theory of knowledge especially how knowledge is validated and the methods of acquiring knowledge. That branch of philosophy seeks to know how a person can come to know something is true and to believe that it is true.

Now, why is that important? It's simply because what we do is based on what we know. If what you know is faulty then what you do, your behavior following your belief will also be faulty. So if I say I believe in gravity, but I'm wearing weights on my ankles everywhere I go that betrays my belief is not genuine. Ravi Zacharias said, "The modern student goes away to college in order to learn. The same student comes back from the same school knowing that there is no way to know anything." That is so true and so sad, it's the idea that—well, you really can't know anything for sure. There is no absolute knowledge at all. So in their Philosophy class under Epistemology, I guess if you put a question mark, you passed the test.

(Laughter)

There are three people who come to a cemetery in the text we're about to read. They come to the graveyard. All of them walked away knowing something, but only one of them is right.

We have in our texts, Mary Magdalene. She sees something with her own eyes. She makes a report based on what she sees, but she is wrong in her report. Peter comes and he sees something with his own eyes, he doesn't quite know what to make of it, he's puzzled by it. John comes and sees something with his own eyes, and he forms an understanding and a belief.

Verse 1 Chapter 20. Now, in the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved. We believe that that is John the Apostle. John had a love for anonymity and loved to be called the one whom Jesus loved. He's the author of the book and he doesn't name himself. That's his style.

So Mary Magdalene came to Peter and to John and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter therefore went out and the other disciple and they were going to the tomb. Watch this. So they both ran together and the other disciple did outrun Peter and came to the tomb first.

(Laughter)

He wants to make sure you know that.

(Laughter)

And he stooping down looking in saw the linen cloth is lying there yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came and John could have easily have written "Panting, out of breath."

(Laughter)

Following him and he went into the tomb and he saw the linen cloth is lying there and the handkerchief that had been around his head not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in the place by itself. Then the other disciple who came to the tomb first went in also and he saw and believed, for as yet they did not know the scripture that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away to their own homes.

Did you notice that all three of the people mentioned in the text all knew something based upon what they had seen that day and what they had experienced, but all the results varied. It wasn't the same. What Mary saw and believed and what Peter saw, what John saw and believed were all different.

There was a little boy who was at home on a Sunday afternoon, he came out of his room very puzzled and said, "Mom, is it true that we all come from dust?" He had been in Sunday school that day, apparently he heard that. His mom smiled and said, "Well, yes sweetheart! In Genesis Chapter 3, the Bible tells that we all came essentially from dust and were all going to return to dust. We came from it we're going to go there." And the little boy said, "Well, I just looked under my bed and there's someone who's either coming or going."

(Laughter)

That little boy formed a belief based upon what he had seen and experienced. He was inaccurate of course. He just simply made a belief that if there is dust, there must be person coming or going.

Whenever we talk of The Resurrection of Christ, we typically speak of the empty tomb. But the tomb of Jesus Christ really wasn't empty. There was something inside of it. Interesting that when people die, their relatives will sometimes place things in the casket. I've heard of some crazy things being placed in caskets, like golf clubs. I don't know what people are thinking or playing cards, alcohol, drugs? Or what? To take away the pain? What is this?

(Laughter)

The Egyptians used to make an entire culture out of burying their dead with the accoutrements of life. Some of the pharaohs that were buried, King Tut, King Tutankhamun, the boy king was buried with the equivalent of three fourths billion dollars worth of items, from clothing to shoes to jewelry et cetera, et cetera.

When Jesus was placed in the tomb and then resurrected, there was something that was left behind. It was the not quite empty tomb. And what was left behind forms a clue. They all saw it but John saw something there and it says that he believed. So we're going to look at the story again. We're going to look at it from three different angles and with each angle comes a principle.

We begin with the first two verses, The False Report. It says now on the first day of the week. What day is that? Sure, Sunday. This day! Today is the first day of the week. This was a Sunday morning. This answers the question why in the Book of Acts, the earliest apostles started meeting on a Sunday rather on the Jewish Sabbath, Saturday. They were commemorating The Resurrection that's why the Bible says "They met on the first day of the week."

So on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early while it was still dark. Actually, Mary Magdalene wasn't the only woman to visit the tomb. The other gospels put together give us the picture that there were at least four women who came to the tomb that day. John only records Mary Magdalene. Why? Because she came the earliest. It says that she came to the tomb early while it was still dark, the others came after sunrise. She came while it was dark, early. "Early" is the technical word in the Greek for the last of the four watches of the night, somewhere between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., she came to the tomb.

Then she ran after she saw what was done, that the stone had been taken away. She ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they laid him."

Who is Mary Magdalene? Mary Magdalene was a woman who had a very unique love for Jesus, because Jesus had done for her what no one had ever been able to do and that was, give her forgiveness. In Luke Chapter 8, we're told that Mary Magdalene once had seven demons and they were cast out of her. Her life was a living hell when she met Jesus. Like the old Beatles song, "She had a devil in her heart" literally. She was demonized, demon possessed. She was tormented. That was her background.

The Jewish Talmud tells us that the town she came from Magdala, that's why we get the name Mary Magdalene or Mary who lived in Magdala. That Magdala was known for its prostitution. That's why most people think that she was a very "loose" woman, morally. But Jesus also said the one that has been forgiven much, the same loves much and this woman loved Jesus that's why she was last at the cross and she was first at the tomb to show her love. She couldn't come on the Sabbath Day as soon as the Sabbath was over, she woke up early and she headed out for the tomb.

When she got there, we're told in Verse 1 that the stone was gone from the entrance, those big round, circular, rolling stones that weigh somewhere between one, one and a half to two tons that sealed the tomb shut, it was gone. And she thought immediately the worst, they've stolen his body.

Now, this was a common crime, grave robbing was indeed very typical in those days. It became so common that eventually the Emperor Claudius issued capital punishment for that offense. If a grave was robbed, if a body was moved, if a rolling stone that had been sealed was moved, that was capital punishment. Notice what she says. She says, "They", notice that in Verse 2. They have taken away the Lord and we do not know where "they" have laid Him. Question, who are "they?" Nobody knows, but that didn't need to say because we get this. We do this all the time, right? We say, "Well you know they say --” really, who's "they"? Well you know they've discovered. Typically for hearsay, pull out the generic "they".

It was just something that forms an opinion but it's better just to count and say, "I know what happened. They've taken away his body. They've stolen it." So she comes, she sees and she assumes. She's connecting all the dots. The only problem is, she's dead wrong.

Here's what I want you to see. Mary out of the broken emotion and sorrow in her heart makes an assumption and the assumption is inaccurate. Did you know that assumption is the lowest form of communication? And yet people live by it. They don't talk about it. They don't discuss it. They're not straight eyeball to eyeball, let's get the fact straight. They assumed things. See I did it again. They assumed things.

We know what that is like. All the things you read into a situation that may or may not be true, that's assumption. Assumption is the tone of voice you assign to an email that may or may not be true. It might not be there. You take it one way. It might have not been written that way. Assumption is the motive you attached to somebody's silence. "They didn't call me back. They didn't write me back." That must mean something is wrong, maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Assumption is you filling in the blanks, coloring in the black and white with your own color scheme. That's an assumption.

Okay, so it's true, the stone is rolled away. There's no body inside, but was it true that the body was stolen? Nope. The Jews will try to make that up in Matthew 28 as a common belief and that's what they'll say. "Oh, that's because the body was stolen." We'll see why that's impossible in a minute. So if what she said wasn't true, Jesus never predicted, "I'm going to die and they'll going to steal my body." The Old Testament never predicted the Messiah's body would be stolen and it didn't happen.

So there's a principle that emerges out of this. Not every idea about Christ is correct. Even when those ideas are spoken by well-meaning followers of Jesus, what she said about him was inaccurate. That's why any belief held by anyone must be evaluated by something more than that person's experience. Their experience is their experience. It's a subjective way of knowing things. There has to be something greater, more objective.

Now, I have a theory. These are just Skip's opinion. I believe it's her background and her profile that helped formed her assumption. She lived a hard life before she met Jesus. She had seen the dark underbelly of humanity. If indeed she was a "loose" woman from a town of prostitutes, she had seen men with their worst motivations doing their worst possible things and yes, she has discovered Jesus Christ and she has been forgiven. But you know what it's like in a moment of crisis, we often revert back to our old ways of thinking. She thought "I know what happened. They did their worst. They stole his body." That was her assumption, a false report. Let's move on in the text.

We come to the first responders. In Verse 3, Peter therefore went out and the other apostles, the other apostles, the author of the Book John and we're going to the tomb. And so they both ran together and the other disciple outrun Peter and came to the tomb first.

Okay, let's back up. The disciples had all been locked behind closed doors, confused, scared like little kids, not understanding what has happened. And at first, when the women came and said that Jesus had been risen from the dead the other gospels tell us, they didn't believe it. Listen to how Luke puts it. For their words seemed to them like idol tales and they did not believe them. But there were two. There were two in that room, Peter and John. Their ears went up like my doggy when I come home and call his name. Peter and John heard that and they got out of that room and they undertook the first resurrection marathon. They ran to the tomb. I find that a little bit interesting. Mary tells them—they don't say, "Mary take my arm, let's go together." They just sort of leave her in the dust and run, gentlemen, right? Yup, John tells us that he beat Peter. Peter was sort of like a fallback. He's only good for 50 yards. John was younger. Probably in better shape.

Now, why did John write this? Did John want forever to be known as the guy who beat Peter in the resurrection marathon? "I beat Peter! I beat Peter!"

(Laughter)

Maybe, but I don't think so. I don't think John would have included that detail for that reason in this place. He might have. Here's another thought. Do you remember growing up? When you did something that well it wasn't great around the house. You were with your mom and your mom would simply say, "Wait until your dad gets home." She didn't even have to say it rough. She could just say, "Wait until your dad gets home." And you thought, "Uh-oh!" That's right! Dad is going to come home and if I'm not right with mom and therefore I'm not right with dad, I'm in trouble. Remember that?

So when dad came to the door, things were good with you and mom and you and dad, you were happy to see him. If they weren't, you aren't too happy to be around them. I think that's how it is with Peter. Last time Jesus and Peter were together, Peter denied Jesus afterwards. Even though he said, "I'll never deny you." He denied Him three times and Jesus looked at Peter when he was arrested. Peter is coming to the tombs with mixed emotions to say the least with a load of guilt. He's not too excited about getting there and being back in that situation and getting close to it again. Oh, he's going to come and check it out, but "Uh oh" things are different with Peter.

Now, there's a principle here with this. Not every reaction to Christ is the same. You'll notice there are three different responses here. Mary came, saw the tomb was empty, the stone was removed and she thought the body has been stolen. Peter comes and he saw and he's puzzled by the whole thing and said, "Huh! An empty tomb!" Whereas in Verse 8, John saw and believed. Okay, now stop for a moment. If you just read it in English, you have the same word she saw, he saw, he saw, he saw, he saw. It's repeated several times. It's the same word. In the Greek language, there are three. Get this. Three different words used in this text for "they saw". I want you to notice them.

In Verse 1 and in Verse 5, that's the first word. Mary saw and that she simply noticed. Verse 5, he, that is John stooping down, looking in saw the linen cloths lying there and did not go in. It's a simple word “blepo” in Greek. It just simply means to take note of. I see it. Okay, I'm observing it. There's a second word. If you look at Verse 6, this is Peter. Simon Peter came following him (panting) and went into the tomb. That's just like Peter, isn't it? "Get out of my way! Let me get in there." He's impetuous. He wants to get close. He went into the tomb and he saw the linen cloths lying there, different word altogether. This is the Greek word not blepo, but to-theatro (phonetic). I know it sounds weird it just we get the word "theater" from this word. It means to study something, to gaze at something because there's something unusual that catches your attention.

Peter look into it, "Huh! Look at that!" He checked it out. Verse 8 is an entirely different word. Then the other disciple, that is John came to the tomb first within also and he saw and he believed. This is the word “orao”. It's in its airiest form, I then, which means to see with understanding and comprehension. He looked and he got it. He connected all the dots. Something made sense to him. He said, "There must have been a resurrection." And of sense, he believed.

James Montgomery Boice says, "In that moment, John the Apostle became the first Christian." Jesus has not appeared to John yet or Peter or Mary, but John believed. Now the other two, Peter and Mary, they will come to understand that Jesus is risen. But they're not yet on the same page with John. And that's the point I want to make. Be patient with people who have a different response to the truth than you have.

Okay, you become mature. You become enlightened. You understand things in the scripture, but sometimes I've observed Christians who become so zealous "They've discovered something. Wow! It's right there in the Bible. It's so clear. How come everybody doesn't know this?" And they make it their goal to make sure everybody knows this. Maybe it's a long forgotten truth or a truth that they never saw until now or an experience that they're seeing with the Lord some epiphany moment and now they've just got to boldly share it with everybody.

Okay, cool but back off a little bit. Allow God to grow up and get those others to realize just like He has for you, just like He was so patient with you, be patient with Him. Soon, both of these Peter and Mary will also understand what John has come to understand.

Let's go back to the text. Go back to Verse 8. Let's finish off where we have. There's the third angle, the factual reality. Then the other disciple— again, we know that is John who came to the tomb first. There it is again, he's first. He went in also and he saw and believed for as yet they did not know the scripture that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Now what did John believe exactly? Did he just believe that Jesus was gone? No. Peter believed that too and Mary believed that. John believed specifically Jesus must be alive right now based on what he saw. So let me paint the picture for you. Let's try to figure out what he's looking at. Let's begin with Jewish burial. I'll refresh your memory. Whenever Jews buried their dead, they typically bury them the same day that their loved ones died. If you die that day, you're buried that day. And the way they would bury as we have mentioned, they did not embalm but they entombed. So they took the body and before it could decay, they would wrap the body in strips of linen. First, each limb individually, each arm, each leg and then the body would be wrapped totally. Mixed in between the folds or the winds was a gummy substance, a mixture of myrrh and aloes, a sweet odiferous gummy substance that was quite weighty when you add that to the body weight. And that was put in between and on top of all of the folds so that it became sort of an encasement, a cocoon if you will. This gummy that will eventually harden into a cocoon. That's how the Jews would bury them. They would wind the wrappings from the ankles all the way up to the neck and stop. The head was treated separately with a cloth or a napkin or a turban, if you will.

That's important to realize because when Jesus raises from the dead, the son of the widow at Nain in Luke Chapter 7. It says the little boy sat up and began to talk. The reason he could speak is that the wrappings weren't around his head, there was just a cloth. He could speak through it. That's why we read in John Chapter 11, Lazarus came out of the tomb bound hand and foot with grave clothes and his face was wrapped with a cloth. That's how they bury the dead.

So what is John looking at? Same thing Peter is looking at, Verse 6. He saw the linen cloths lying there. Now listen, literally he saw them lying in their folds, undisturbed, unfurled, not piled up in a heap, not in disarray, neat and orderly just as when the body was there all wrapped up, but the body is gone. That's what they were studying. Now, let's say you and I could have been in the tomb the moment Jesus was raised from the dead. What would we have seen? Would we have seen them kind of like waking up and going "uh, uh, uh, uh!" And then like grabbing some of the bandages and throwing them off? No, that's not a resurrection that'd be resuscitation. And you would find—they would have found a pile of bandages here and there and spices scattered everywhere as Jesus got out of that cocoon. Rather, he was there dead and then he just as John Stott put it, "Disappeared or vaporized through the cloth." Like passing through that cocoon, out of that encasement, and out of the sealed tomb.

By the way, the reason the stone was rolled away wasn't to let Jesus out if you could get out of that encasement, you can go out of the tomb like later on you could get in and out of rooms without using door. The reason the stone was rolled away wasn't to let Jesus out, but to let the disciples in to see this. It was an advertisement, "Come and check this out boys!"

So Jesus would have just left there, just vaporized. And the grave clothes that cocoon, that encasement would have mildly collapsed like a flat tire because the body wasn't in it. John saw that and he goes, "I get it! I get it! Nobody moved him, nobody stole him. There's been a resurrection." See, let's suppose they're right. The generic "they" who say, "Jesus didn't die, he just fainted on the cross or swooned and then he woke up in the tomb." Well, if that were the case then you would read that they saw bandages scattered everywhere in the tomb because he got out.

Let's say they stole the body, let's follow that theory. If they would have stolen the body, do you think they would have unwound the body and then taken the body out and wound the windings back up, so it looked like a body had been there? They would have stolen the whole encasement and trashed the bandages, thrown them somewhere else.

John understood that. It was an epiphany moment and he got it. There's an interesting detail, look at Verse 7. And the handkerchief, John wants you to know about that handkerchief. And the handkerchief that had been around his head not lying with the linen cloths but folded together in the place by itself. Now, why does John include that? Simply as an added proof of a resurrection, once Jesus passed through that encasement, he took the cloth and he folded it up and neatly placed it next to it.

I know it's going to happen. Parents are going to leave today and they'll going to be telling their kids in the future, "Listen, if Jesus before he could leave the tomb could fold up that napkin, you can certainly make your bed before you go to school." I can just hear it.

(Laughter)

Fair enough. It was proof, added proof of a resurrection. Not a stolen body, not a swooned resuscitation but a resurrection. Something else I've read on one of the commentaries that I found interesting. According to Jewish custom, if you were the guest in somebody's house, you came over for dinner and they were very hospitable to you and you thought they were just great, you love the meal, you love the time. At the end of the meal, you would crumple up your napkin and throw it into the food, the plate, but if you felt you really didn't like your company, they weren't all that hospitable, the food wasn't really that great, you would politely fold your napkin and place it next to the plate. It was a polite way of saying, "I'm not coming back here again."

Here's Jesus folding up a napkin saying, "I'm not coming back here again. I haven't been treated all that nice. I came into my own and my own did not receive me." So here is Mary, she saw and she panicked. Here's Peter, he saw and he scratched his head and was puzzled and said, "Wow! Huh! Look at that, an empty tomb!” I wonder what it means. Here's John, he saw the tomb empty but he saw the unfurled encasement and he believed in a resurrection. But he had something. And this always puzzled me and I draw your attention to it as we close.

Verse 9. For as yet they did not know the scriptures that he must rise from the dead. Now what did they know? They knew that the stone was rolled away. They knew that the tomb was empty of a human body. They knew that there was that encasement still lying there and the napkin folded, that they knew. And they formed their assumptions or belief system based upon what they saw and experienced, solely upon their experience. Now, by the time John writes this down, it's different. At that time, they didn't know the scripture. They only knew what they saw. But when John is writing this, now they know the scripture. Now, they've put it all together. They formed a theology, and epistemology of why they know that Jesus Christ physically resurrected.

So their faith that was once based upon experience and evidences, the open tomb, the body gone, and the clothes intact as good as that was to convince John at that moment. That's not enough to sustain a person through life. It seems that John saying, "This is what I saw. This is what I knew and believed, but we didn't know the scripture yet that he must rise from the dead." As if to say, there's something even better to base your belief and knowledge upon. And that's the objective in errant scripture that has been predicted, the Bible predicted, Jesus predicted that He would—risen from the dead.

Now, that's what John wrote. Peter, who was there that day would say to John, "Amen, Brother John." I believe what he said because later on when Peter writes one of these letters. He talks about the eyewitness testimony. "I was there. I saw. I heard." But then he writes this, "But, even though I was an eyewitness and I saw and I heard, we have a more sure word of prophecy. So how do you know that you know?

How do you know anything? You could say, "Well, I know because I saw." Okay. "Well, I know because I heard." Okay. But here is something better, "What I saw and what I heard was predicted long ago in the prophets." So now, I have my subjective experience and the objective prediction of the Bible and that's unshakable. That is unshakable. That's what I want you to see in this text. That's what I want you to walk away with. Jesus said in Matthew 24, "Heaven and earth will pass away. My words will never pass away." There are only two things that will live forever, the soul of a human being and the word of God will endure forever. And the text have come for the last 2000 years, they're mounting again in a fresh with new atheist movement. And many of them are pointing their barrels at the scripture saying, "You can't believe. You can't trust. There are so many different accounts." To the uninitiated, they would seem like compelling arguments. But no, the evidence, if you care to check it out is there. That is objective evidence in the validity of scripture, in the resurrection of Christ, and you marry the objective evidence to your subjective experience with Christ and you have unshakable faith.

Years ago and I close with this, I know you've heard me say I close, I close, I close one of these times, I'll be right. John Clifford wrote a poem about a blacksmith who was hammering pieces of metal with a number of different hammers that had worn down over time. The anvil that he was beating the metal on remained the same. And he writes this, "I paused one day beside the blacksmith's door and listened to the anvil ring the evening chime. And looking in, I saw upon the floor old hammers worn from beating years of time. And so I thought, the anvil of God's word for ages skeptics blows have beat upon and though the noise of infidels was heard, the anvil is unworn, the hammers gone. And eventually, all the new hammers that have been developed by your college professor, by your Philosophy students or professors or by books that are written, those hammers will be gone and the anvil will remain the same."

We have the experience that we have with Christ, which is valid only as it is tied to something that is outside of your experience that is objective and that's the inerrant word of God in scripture. That's unshakable. With that, you can face anything. Now, if you just have the inerrant word of scripture but you don't have an experience with God yourself, then it's not personal. If you have your personal experience but it doesn't match with what the scripture says, that is not reasonable. Put them both together, it's powerful.

Father, we consider these things and we thank you that you as God able to make the heavens and the earth, would certainly also be able to keep in written form the truth of what happened as well as your will preserved in book form. We have a more sure word of prophecy because the Bible tells us these men though men infallible. They were moved along and directed by your spirit who prompted them with even the words, so that Jesus could say, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." Now, one jot or one tittle will pass from the law until all of it is fulfilled.

So Lord, even as John and Peter and Mary who saw things and formed a knowledge, a belief system based on that, they still said, "What's better than we saw and heard is what was predicted all along which is what we saw and heard." Help us to live with that stability of faith. A faith that knows. A faith that is certain. I pray especially for those Lord who are facing death in some capacity losing a loved one, have recently lost a loved one, are facing an unknown disease themselves, and possibly the termination of their own life. I pray for a special strengthening and increased faith that would sustain them in this hour. In Jesus name, Amen.

Additional Messages in this Series

Message SummaryIs your faith in need of bolstering? Do you find yourself saying "Help my unbelief?" The book of John presents a unique, up close and personal look at the life of Christ, focusing on Jesus as God Incarnate. As we dive into a thorough study of each of John's 879 verses, we'll walk with disciples who were eyewitnesses of His ministry, His death, and His resurrection, and we'll experience abundant life in His name.

Message SummaryIt may be difficult to say what the most important word is in any language, but not for the Apostle John. He begins his gospel with the identification of Jesus as, "The Word." Starting with the very beginning of beginnings, John shows us the fundamental truths about the Jesus that he writes about in the rest of this book. The language is simple and unmistakable and yet the truths presented are deep and extremely profound. Let's see how John presents Jesus and Who Jesus is according to one who was closest to Him.

Message SummaryI love early mornings when sunlight first comes up over the eastern sky. But if you’ve ever had the experience of the sun suddenly shining into your eyes (like when you turn westward while the sun is going down), it's not so pleasant. Most people wince when light is shined in their eyes. Jesus is presented here as being "the light of men" and "shining in darkness". But the world cries out, "Turn off that light!" How can Jesus enlighten your life and how will you respond to Him?

Message SummaryIt is a mistake to think of Jesus as "one among many" options in the pantheon of deities. He is unique, matchless, unrivaled, singular, and incomparable. From His birth to His Resurrection, there is no one who even comes close to the majestic Christ. Jesus was One-Of-A-Kind! Let’s consider four distinct ways that Jesus was unique and what these mean to us today.

Message SummaryEveryone is good at something, maybe even great at something. Maybe you're a great artist or a great mom or even a great leader. Jesus said that John the Baptizer was the greatest man who had ever lived (Matt. 11:11). But John knew Jesus to be the greatest One ever—past, present and future - the Sacrificial Lamb sent to remove sin. Today we discover from John the Baptist how to witness for Christ and we look at the identity and the activity of this most unusual man.

Message SummaryYou can't make it through much of the Bible without coming to the word Disciple. Just the four Gospels alone use this term 228 times. Basically a disciple is the follower of a teacher: one who observes, learns, and practices what the teacher shares. We now come to the first time John uses this term in his book. So today we assess ourselves by asking, "Are YOU a follower?" Lets look at five characteristics of the first disciples of Jesus and see if they’re reflected in our lives.

Message SummaryWhen the first disciples encountered Jesus, they chose to follow Him--only to discover that they had already been chosen by Him! Without getting drowned in that theological tide pool, let's consider and marvel at how both of these realities work together. The Bible teaches that God sovereignly elects people for salvation while at the same time teaches our responsibility to believe in Christ. Let’s see how both Philip and Nathanael encountered Jesus for the first time.

Message SummaryHow cool (and also potentially scary) would it be to have Jesus as a guest at your own wedding! The unnamed couple at the village wedding of Cana had that privilege. Jesus was the wedding guest who brought the best gift. His first miraculous sign was performed while celebrating that marriage. But far more than just attending a nuptial party, Jesus demonstrated who He was in relation to four entities: His mother, the moment, a miracle, and His men.

Message SummaryA hymn by Charles Wesley begins, "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, look upon a little child..." It’s a beautiful song with a beautiful thought. However, Jesus is anything but gentle and mild in John chapter two. Here in the temple at Jerusalem, He displays His righteous anger as He overturns tables and beats the religious businesspeople with whips! But Jesus was using this trouble in the temple to predict a greater sign—the triumph of His own physical temple—His bodily resurrection!

Message SummaryThese three verses are some of the most unusual in the New Testament. They describe a scene in the life of Jesus that explains His popularity and fame. The response of people to the miracles of Jesus is understandable. What is not readily understandable is Jesus' response to the interested and excited crowd. Though they believed in Him, He was not too energized over their kind of faith. Understanding this will help us to understand Jesus and His mission.

Message SummaryThe meeting of Jesus and Nicodemus at night is one of the most famous and compelling stories in Scripture. This man's inner curiosity and spiritual thirst drove him to want to know more. What he heard puzzled and astonished him, but he heard from Jesus' own lips the only way to be saved. Jesus' words here divide all of humanity into two groups: those who are born again and those who are not.

Message SummaryFor years ABC has aired two different versions of a show called Extreme Makeover. One is a total body makeover designed to enhance the physical beauty of a selected individual. The other is a Home Edition that rebuilds or adds to a struggling family's residence. But only Jesus can give the soul a makeover; only Jesus can ready a person for eternity. Here Jesus answers Nicodemus' question of how a person can have the New Life that comes from the New Birth.

Message SummaryToday we take a look at the Bible's most famous verse and probe its depth while preparing to take the Lord's Supper together. Though most everyone knows this verse, John 3:16 is much more than just a slogan; it is a summary statement of God's love through Jesus Christ. This single verse of scripture gives us the salient truths of God's plan of salvation in abridged form. Let's consider God's great plan for us as we unpack it phrase by phrase.

Message Summary"They that know God will be humble, and they that know themselves cannot be proud!" That's what British Puritan John Flavel once said. And that’s how John the Baptist once lived! John the Baptist and his followers provide some great applicational fodder for how Christians should get along and humble themselves before one another and God. For any Christian believer who wants to spiritually grow up and grow strong, he must first grow down.

Message SummaryImagine if everything you valued was in a sack, hanging on the wall from one nail. It surely must be a strong nail, or you're lost! If life could all be boiled down to one thing or one word or one most important principle, what would it be? What is the irreducible minimum for everything and everyone? John answers that here, saying that Jesus Christ is the nail that everything hangs on. He determined what has been and what will be. Thus our knowledge of Him and relationship to Him is paramount above everything else.

Message SummaryYou know the feeling of swallowing ice-cold water on a hot day or after a savory meal—it's refreshing! That cool, invigorating sip revitalizes you from the inside out and makes you say, "Ahh!" Well, that experience is not limited to the physical realm, but is even more satisfying in the spiritual realm when dealing with Living Water. Jesus came to give thirst-quenching spiritual life to every parched soul on the planet. When was the last time you drank deeply?

Message SummaryThe world is thirsty and doesn't even know it, or won't admit it, or will look to be satisfied by everything else but Jesus Christ. So your job and mine is to lead them to water (living water, that is). Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman illustrates perhaps the best approach for personal evangelism to be found anywhere. Leading someone to the place of spiritual satisfaction is a process that rests upon two pillars—the pillar of attitude and the pillar of approach:

Message SummaryWorship conferences, worship seminars and worship experiences abound within the landscape of the American church, but in all these there's something that seems to be always lacking—worship is confined to the activity of singing songs. When the subject is brought up in this chapter, Jesus talks plainly and openly about true worship: what it is and what it isn't. Let's explore these few verses to discover what God is seeking after and how to be part of fulfilling that.

Message SummaryFarmers live for the harvest season--a time when their crops are taken in and profits are made. But crops don’t grow on their own. Seeds must be sown and plants must be garnered by a whole group of active farm workers. God is the head Farmer and we are His farmhands, all working together to produce a bumper-crop of people who believe that Jesus is the Savior--Are you in?

Message SummaryLike any muscle in our physical body, our faith too must be exercised in order for it to develop. Faith is developed in virtually every circumstance in life, but especially in hard times. Peter put it best, "These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold" (1 Peter 1:7). Let's look at a real-life story of one who came to Jesus in his trial and had his faith lifted to a higher dimension.

Message SummaryOne of Jesus' most distinguishing characteristics in His earthly ministry was His mercy toward people who were hurting. This is not astonishing, for the prophet Micah announced that "God delights in mercy" (Micah 7:18). Jesus standing among the squalid misery of sickness and hopelessness while at a feast in Jerusalem is a perfect setting to show how Christians can show mercy to a world in misery. But be warned: not everyone will be sympathetic to your cause!

Message SummaryThe most important question you could ever ask is not, "Who am I?" but rather, "Who is Christ?" That was the supreme question Jesus presented to His disciples when He said, "Who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15). Jesus made the most astonishing claim ever when He confronted the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem here in John 5. What do these claims have to do with us today? Absolutely everything!

Message SummaryMy mom used to wake me up early every morning with her sweet voice saying, "Rise and Shine!" It took a few times but I eventually got up out of bed. As Jesus declares that He will be in charge of the future judgment, He too will usher the call to everyone who has died to "Rise up!" But not everyone will rise up to shine; some will rise up to suffer. Let’s consider three inevitable and unalterable truths about the future for all of us: We will all die, we will all be judged, and we will all rise again to live forever... but where?

Message SummaryThe theme of John's gospel is "believe." The whole reason he wrote this book is so that people who read it will believe in Jesus (see John 20:31). But why should they believe? And even more applicable, why should we believe? After all, the events of the New Testament are over 2,000 years removed from us today. Jesus' confrontation with the religious leaders in John 5 tells us why we should believe. Like a skilled lawyer, Jesus calls upon four witnesses to testify to His claims and these four give the reasons for our believing in Jesus Christ.

Message SummaryThis story ranks in the "top ten" of the most famous miracles of Jesus Christ. In fact this is the most famous of all His miracles as it alone is recorded by all four gospel accounts. But this is far more than a Sunday school tale. This extraordinary picnic was not just a free meal for five thousand folks; it provided lessons for both ancient and modern disciples. Here are four profound truths that emerge from this lakeside lunch.

Message SummaryHave you ever been on the ocean in a raging storm? If so, you know that a well-trained crew follows an immediate protocol until the storm is over. Their knowledge and experience about violent weather are invaluable for those who want to survive. Using the story of Jesus walking on the waves to His disciples, let’s discover a few things about the stormy trials of life.

Message SummaryOur text reads that crowds of people came "seeking Jesus." That sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? And yet Jesus challenges them as to their motive because they were seeking Him (the right thing) in order to satisfy themselves only (the wrong motive). Let’s consider three monumental truths about how people interact with spiritual things in general and Jesus Christ in particular. Let’s also reconsider the starting point for anyone who wants anything to do with Christ.

Message SummaryThe Hostess Company has for years advertised that its Wonder bread "helps build strong bodies 12 ways" and that just two slices has the calcium of eight ounces of milk and the fiber of 100% whole wheat. Wow! The crowd that Jesus was speaking to would have loved that! But our Lord presents something to them far greater than what they were wanting. He knew what they needed.

Message SummaryMark Twain once remarked that "A lie can travel halfway around the world while truth is still lacing up its boots!" This section of John's Gospel has generated much confusion and misunderstanding. Even Jesus' original audience had trouble understanding His meaning, and when they did, they found the truth was difficult to bear. These "hard truths," however, are "the words of eternal life" (v. 68). Let's look at these four realities today.

Message SummaryThere was always a fog surrounding Jesus! It was a fog of uncertainty, of unbelief, and of conflicting opinion. He was misunderstood about both His mission and His message. His friends, His family, and His foes were often bewildered about who He was and what He was doing. That remains true even today. But in this passage our view becomes clearer. Jesus had clearly defined objectives that He reveals here and they are extremely practical for us today.

Message SummaryJesus clashed with religious leaders more than any other group of people. He went against their spiritual grain and challenged their legalistic ideas. Christ made it clear that He hadn’t come to establish a new religion but rather to show the way to God His Father. He didn’t give people another “system of beliefs and practices”; instead He said that He Himself was the way, truth, and life. In this public confrontation, we learn how to follow Christ in truth and not be religious.

Message SummaryAll the diverse and assorted experiences offered by this world can never satisfy the deepest longing of the human soul. What we really want isn't what we really need. The rest of John chapter 7 illustrates this truth. In the midst of a crowd of people clamoring for deep spiritual satisfaction stands the only One who can provide it. He offers them the drink that really satisfies and all but a few refuse it, preferring rather to die of thirst. How painfully ironic!

Message SummaryCan you imagine what a surviving copy of Jesus' autograph would be worth today? Or what about a letter to His disciples? The fact is, there is no existing document or copy of anything Jesus ever wrote. We only have this story of Him scribbling something in transient dust on the Temple stones. Though John doesn't tell what Jesus wrote that day, his account does reveal a lot about Jesus Himself and how He interacted with three different kinds of folks.

Message SummaryWhen the sun shines right in your eyes, your immediate inclination is to squint, turn away, or put sunglasses on. Light can be blinding! Though light penetrates our world, providing illumination and energy for our very existence, big doses of it can be difficult to handle. That's true spiritually as well. Jesus, by His teaching and work, illuminated this world darkened by sin. Some rejoiced in that light, able to see where they were going. But others, who'd been so accustomed to spiritual darkness, could only wince when Jesus was around.

Message SummaryOne person put it this way, "Death is the big flaw. Sometimes we can postpone it, lessen its physical pains, deny its existence—but we can't escape it!" Since that is universally true, why don't people take death seriously enough to plan for it? While we are alive in this world, everyone should be thinking more about the next. But what's the best (and worst) way to die?

Message SummaryEveryone has an opinion on what "The Good Life" is. For some, it's financial independence. For others, it’s autonomy from government control. For still others, it’s the ability to do whatever you want whenever you feel like it. Jesus offers a different kind of freedom and a better brand of life. Here Jesus tells us what the best way to live really is: It’s the freedom to be a genuine disciple. And He tells us what the worst way to live really is: It’s the slavery of a sinful lifestyle. Today consider how free you really are and what areas of life you may still be in bondage to.

Message SummaryYour body has 100 trillion cells. Inside each one is a nucleus and in each nucleus are DNA molecules. DNA is like an instruction manual for life with densely coded information telling each cell what to do. A simple paternity test would prove that my father was really my father. Here Jesus gives His audience a spiritual paternity test that reveals their spiritual father to be the devil himself. No matter what your physical ancestry, you can always tell one's spiritual heritage.

Message SummaryJesus had friends and He had enemies. But besides those, He also had some "frenemies" (enemies who pretended to be friends). To this crowd who at first pretended to believe (v. 31) Jesus is both confrontational and controversial. This paragraph highlights three possible identities of Jesus: two of them were his enemies' accusations and one was Jesus' own claim.

Message Summary"Why is there so much pain in the world?" is the most frequently asked question ever! We hate it when we, or those we love, are in pain. Today we see Jesus confront a hurting world. As we do, consider these words by Elizabeth Elliot (whose husband was murdered): "If God is in charge and loves us, then whatever is given is subject to His control and is meant ultimately for our joy."

Message SummaryThose of us who are Christians live in a sea of unbelievers who work with us, live next to us, shop where we shop, and send their kids to the same schools. Some have a mild case of unbelief disguised by religious practices. Others are more demonstrable in their agnosticism or atheism. Let's watch a local Jerusalem neighborhood struggle against faith in spite of clear evidence.

Message SummaryWhen you drive, you encounter "blind spots"—it could be part of your own car or it could be a tree that hides traffic on the other side. Those blind spots hinder both progress and ultimately, safety. When Jesus healed a blind man in Jerusalem, the same man was also healed of his spiritual blindness. But others who thought their spiritual perception was keen were as blind as a bat! As we consider this story, can you think of any blind spots in your spiritual journey?

Message SummaryThis is one of the most beloved passages to be found anywhere in Scripture. But it's not a stand-alone passage: The healing of the blind man in chapter 9 was more than a miracle. It was part of the process of Jesus forming His flock. The leadership had cast the healed man out of the synagogue. Jesus found him, accepted him, saved him, and placed him in His own fold.

Message Summary"What's so great about being a Christian?" some people ask. The answer lies in the kind of care, provision, and protection we get from Jesus Christ, our Shepherd. Have you ever stopped to make a list of the benefits that are yours as a follower of Christ? Consider this short list of advantages that you, as a child of God, have. When was the last time you thanked Him for being your Shepherd? This would be a great week to do that!

Message Summary"In all unbelief there are two things: a good opinion of one's self and a bad opinion about God."— Horatius Bonar. It's true, isn't it? Humanism is man-centered and rejects God's existence or His relevance. But Jesus appealed to two things: the plain evidence of His supernatural works and the testimony of those who witnessed them. Jesus here asserts His deity, and the reaction is predictable—some believed while others did not believe. Which camp do you fall into?

Message SummaryWhen a doctor loses a patient on the operating table, there is a deep sense of remorse and sadness in the surgical theater. Doctors are trained to save lives but sometimes even the best trained physicians are unable to control complications that lead to death. But here we discover that Christ, the Great Physician, not only knows that His patient is sick--He allows him to die! Here are three principles about Divine Medicine that we can all learn.

Message SummaryIn 1859 Charles Dickens wrote his famous work, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The story before us is set in Bethany near Jerusalem and highlights the personal relationship that two sisters had with Jesus Christ. Their broken hearts provide an excellent platform to consider how Christ deals with people in grief and loss. Let's actively probe not only their responses but ours to the incredible promise Jesus makes.

Message SummaryAccording to one source, there are approximately 2 million funerals in America per year, which means that about 5,479 funerals take place every single day! Most of those funerals are pretty typical: a formal service followed by an interment. But the funeral service we're looking at was really different--and not just because of a resurrection. Here Jesus does three things that are pretty normal for most people at a funeral, but strikingly odd for Jesus.

Message SummaryAny lawyer can tell you that whenever the star witness is a resurrected corpse, you have a pretty good case! But Lazarus being alive from the dead doesn’t seem to persuade everyone. And so the big issue becomes what shall we do with Jesus? The decisions made here set the clock in motion for an impending hate crime—the crucifixion of Christ. But from heaven’s vantage point, this is all part of God’s plan for redemption. Let’s see the responses and how we can make a difference.

Message SummaryIf you were to step into the home of Simon at Bethany (Mark 14:3) on that night, you would've seen Jesus and His disciples along with Lazarus and His two sisters reclining at a low table for a meal in honor of Christ. But if you were to step into the hearts of those people, you would discover they were all very different from each other. Those inside the house and outside represent the gamut of feelings about Jesus—from adoring love to intense hatred. What a complicated meal!

Message Summary2000 years ago, on the final Sunday of Jesus’ earthly life before His crucifixion, He did the most unusual thing—He sat on a donkey and was carried into the city of Jerusalem in parade fashion. This formal presentation of Him as Deliverer was both profound and predicted. What’s the significance of such an act as this? What overarching principles emerge for us today? We’ll dig in and discover them, but today you’ve got to write them down yourself:

Message SummaryIf this sermon was a book and I wanted to sell lots of copies, the title would cause it to fail. Now if it were entitled "Living the High Life" or "Living the Successful Life," then I may have a winner. But many have lived with both success and riches who didn't live right! So what is the right life? Or to frame it with a better question: What kind of life is most pleasing to God? Through a series of paradoxes, John gives us the answer—it wasn't the answer most people are looking for!

Message SummaryThe term cross-culture emerges from the social sciences and typically refers to interaction of one culture or language with another. But that's not how I'm using it today. I'm thinking of it in the biblical sense, the salvation sense. Jesus' whole life was immersed in the culture of the cross and He referred to His impending death on the cross as "His hour." Let's consider today the culture of the cross of Christ: what it meant to Jesus personally and the world ultimately.

Message SummaryMost of you reading this are believers. Some are not. Both are dangerous positions to take but for different reasons—vastly different reasons! This paragraph in John's Gospel is the summary of all that has been written, from chapters 1 through 13. It reviews the two different responses people have to Jesus and then gives us Jesus' own synopsis on faith and unbelief. Today you will be able to understand the real differences and consequences of faith and unbelief.

Message SummarySome days are frozen in time because of the magnitude of an event. You will always remember September 11, 2001 and where you were when the towers fell. The night America bombed Baghdad or the night John Lennon was murdered may be permanent memories captured in your mind. This was the final night Jesus spent with His own disciples and it would be unforgettable. Let’s discover how what seem like ordinary moments can be extraordinary appointments.

Message SummaryAt the final Passover meal that Jesus shared with His closest friends, He gave new meaning to the bread and wine, using them to point to His upcoming sacrificial death on the cross. Today we share Communion as a church family and reflect on that meal, as well as the lessons Jesus was teaching His first followers. After dinner Jesus took a basin of water and began to wash the feet of his students and taught them life principles about stooping, cleansing and serving.

Message SummaryRelationships can withstand an enormous amount of pressure, but betrayal is sure to end most. The old English word means to hand over or to deliver. Think of it: while Jesus was about to deliver the world from sin and its destruction, Judas was about to deliver the Savior over to His enemies. If you've ever felt betrayed by someone, this study will have special application to you.

Message SummaryTo follow Jesus is to have a brand new way of life. When these twelve men sitting around the dinner table started hanging around Jesus, they had no idea just how new and different their lives would become. At this final meal on that last night, they were still learning just how new their lives should be. (Jesus can still teach old dogs new tricks!) As present-day followers of Christ, let’s consider three aspects of life that become new once we become His disciples.

Message SummaryAn old Persian Proverb reads, "It's harder to ask a sensible question than to supply a sensible answer." Many times our questions to God are reactive—based on a sort of knee-jerk reaction to painful circumstances. Peter asked Jesus two questions of this sort. But whenever we ask God questions we must hang around to get the supplied answers. The questions Peter asked are similar to ones we frequently ask. Let's consider and apply Jesus' outstanding answer

Message SummaryLife can be pretty messy sometimes: plans fail, people leave, money diminishes, and taxes rise. There are plenty of reasons to be troubled these days but there are better reasons not to be! Life was about to get real messy for those disciples around that Jerusalem dinner table. At times like that, there are some basic instructions we need to fall back on so our hearts inside us won't be swallowed up by the mess around us.

Message SummaryWhat a thought—that a mere human can know God! The agnostic asserts this is impossible. The atheist insists that the very idea is an arrogant and purely metaphysical pursuit. But one of the reasons Jesus came was to reveal God's character and nature clearly and perfectly! Let's consider two roadblocks to knowing God and four resources that help us know Him better.

Message SummaryMost companies have benefits for employees: things like overtime pay, health insurance, and sick pay. In 2 Corinthians 6:1, Paul calls us "workers together with Him" (NLT renders it "God's partners"). We have been called to a high and lofty task—to be His representatives here on earth. You might say we're part of the "family business." So what has God called us to do? And how has He provided for us in terms of resources? In short, what are the benefits of being God's employees?

Message SummarySome of the best moments on American Idol aren't the solo performances, but when all the singers join together and blend their voices in harmony. There's nothing sweeter than well-trained voices blended together in first, thirds, and fifths. Spiritual harmony is much the same—when believers blend with the triune Godhead there is an alignment that results in a deep sense of fulfillment. And what is the note we are to sing in this spiritual song? It is the note of loving obedience!

Message SummarySomeone once mused, "Promises may get friends, but it's performance that keeps them." No wonder God has so many friends! He makes promises and keeps them. On this final night that Jesus spent with His friends, as both sorrow and confusion assailed them, Jesus made several promises that would sustain them in the days, months, and years ahead. What about you? Will you dare to trust the promises of God? It's the only way to see if they really work.

Message SummaryOn countless American gravestones this epitaph could be written: Hurried, Worried, Buried. What a sad way to live! Fear, anxiety, and distress have literally become part of our national culture. Odd, isn't it? Though we have such abundance in this country, most don't experience abundant life—especially as Jesus described it. Sure, everyone has his or her share of trouble and anxieties, but let's consider one of the greatest gifts Jesus gives to followers—the gift of peace!

Message SummaryMy parents grew grapes on their little plot of land in Southern California. There weren't many, but enough for me to know that getting fruit at harvest depended on three things: the solid connection of branch to vine, the vigilant care of the workers, and the consistency of those things over time. Jesus, walking with the disciples toward the Garden of Gethsemane, gives life lessons to His men using the familiar example of growing grapes. With that analogy in mind, let's consider the three ways our relationship to God is described by Jesus.

Message SummaryAs we grow older, we mature. In our spiritual lives we should become spiritually mature. The Bible calls it being fruitful. Spiritual fruit is the indication that we're truly connected to Christ. But there are others, as we'll see today. Last week we examined how the relationship with Christ is described (Connected to Christ, Cared for by the Father, and Consistent Over Time). Today let's consider how this relationship is demonstrated. When we're rightly connected to God we'll be:

Message SummaryWe can get through almost anything in life with friends to share our sorrow and divide our grief. A Chinese word for friend is peng-yu and it has a much fuller meaning than in English. It means "one who brings completion and sums up beauty." The ancient Hebrews saw true friendship as an ideal to pursue and a blessing to enjoy. In these final moments with His followers, Jesus uses a most tender term for their relationship—they were friends! What does that friendship look like?

Message SummaryThere is a flipside to being a friend of Jesus. That's true of any friendship. Whenever you ally yourself and make friends with someone, you will incur some enemies because of it. Likewise, some who don't like Jesus won't like us either—and we discover there are quite a few who don't! Let's find out why, and how we can raise our heads high and prevail.

Message SummaryWe love God the Father who created us and God the Son who redeemed us, but what about the Holy Spirit? We hear His name a lot, but who is He? What exactly does He do? What does He want from us? The Holy Spirit is the "quiet One," active in the life of believers but sometimes not acknowledged as being vital. Oswald Chambers noted, "The Holy Spirit cannot be located as a guest in a house. He invades everything!" Today, we consider Him and His role in our lives.

Message SummaryHaving understood Who the Holy Spirit is (Person not just power; Deity not just dignitary) we now find out what He does in the world of unbelieving people. Since the greatest gift God ever gave to the world was His only Son (John 3:16) it stands to reason that the greatest sin one can commit is to reject the Son (John 16:9). How does the Holy Spirit both sentence the world as prosecutor and lead people away from judgment? And what role do we play in all of this?

Message SummaryThe flamboyant baseball-legend-turned-preacher Billy Sunday stated, "If you have no joy in your religion, there's a leak in your Christianity somewhere!" That's not to say that life is all laughs. Hardly! Jesus anticipated His followers' deep sorrow. He predicted it. But He also assured them that their experience of sadness would be eclipsed by a greater experience of lasting joy.

Message SummaryToday you can be anywhere in the world and send or receive messages digitally via email. Sending email has eclipsed traditional mail for years now. Sending knee-mail is similar (you can be anywhere)—but with better results! You don't need wifi or a modem; you don't need an electronic device or a computer. Before Jesus left His disciples, He wanted them to get "online" with the Father and stay connected through the simple yet powerful means of prayer.

Message SummaryI would rather fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail! So said President Woodrow Wilson. Our Lord knows us better than we know ourselves and is not surprised by our weaknesses. We all fall and fail, even though we may commit to standing strong. What can we learn about ourselves and our God in such valleys? Even more, what kind of restoration can we hope for after our bout with failure?

Message SummaryImagine if you could sit and listen to Jesus talking to His Father—what would Jesus say to Him? In this prayer (which comprises all of John 17) we step onto holy ground. His instruction to His followers is now over. His preparation of them is done. He now turns His attention heavenward to talk directly to His Father about Himself, about His disciples, and about His future church. This prayer is unique for four reasons:

Message SummaryIt's possible to give without loving but it's impossible to love without giving— Richard Braunstein. Part of God's nature is that He shows His love by His generous gifts. "For God so loved the world that He gave..." (John 3: 16). Here, in the opening lines of Jesus' prayer to His Father, He requests a gift from His Father and acknowledges three other gifts—two given to the Son by the Father, and one given by the Son to us. These are the gifts that keep on giving!

Message SummaryOkay, so which is it? Did I choose God or did God choose me? Perspective is everything! If you look at it from the divine viewpoint, you'll say God chose. If you're looking at it from a human viewpoint, you'll say we do the choosing. But why can't both be true? I suppose you can sit around, scratch your head, and try to ponder such imponderables, or you can sigh happily and say with a grateful heart, "I'm elated that He chose me!" But you should also ask yourself another question while you're at it—What am I going to do about it now?

Message SummaryHow can you leave your mark on the world? Most everyone wants to be remembered for some contribution made to society. Well, Jesus wants us to do that, too. In fact, He prays for that. God wants you to make an imprint on life's road so people will say, "Hey look! God's kids were here!" We can't do that by isolating ourselves. We have marching orders!

Message SummaryWhat's God's general will for you? Look no further than this text! Now as we listen to Jesus pray for us, we also find what our priorities in life are to be. These words are the "Last Will and Testament" of Jesus Christ. So pay close attention and you'll get it right from the heart of Jesus Himself.

Message SummarySometimes life appears to be spinning out of control. Events happen we didn't plan for, people do things we didn't expect, we find ourselves in places we never thought we'd be in. But though you can't always control what happens to you, you are responsible for what happens in you (attitudes and responses). What do we really believe about God's authority and power in our lives? Is there ever a time when God can't say, "I've got it under control"?

Message SummaryOn a dark spring night in Jerusalem, it seemed everyone was against Jesus Christ. The religious system had long been opposed to and jealous of His burgeoning ministry. The mock trial designed to get rid of Jesus was only going through the technical motions to achieve their end. And Peter, Jesus' closest friend, was in a downward process of disassociating himself from Him. But in the midst of the darkest night, the sunrise of God's grace was beginning to shine!

Message SummaryWhat kind of a King is Jesus, and what is the nature of His Kingdom? And what does it mean to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done"? These are the questions faced in the text before us. As Jesus nears the cross, a nation denies His reign over them, while a Roman ruler questions Him and then cynically admits his own confusion and despair.

Message SummaryPontius Pilate was like every other person who has ever lived. The fundamental question of his life was, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" (Matthew 27:22). Everyone has to deal with Jesus, to decide about Him and His claims. In one setting, we can see how one man (Pilate) was influenced to deal with Jesus in three different ways. These three ways are how many people today still choose to deal with Jesus Christ.

Message SummaryRegicide is the official word used for the execution of a king. Most countries reserve the stiffest of punishments for subjects or assassins who would kill their royalty. John records the execution of the King of kings on a Roman cross outside the city of Jerusalem. But the rest of Scripture reveals that it was more than an execution; it was sacrifice that brought salvation. The next few weeks, we will consider the cross in depth and what it means for the world and for us.

Message SummaryDid you know that the cross of Christ was always God's plan from the very beginning? It wasn't a reaction to mankind's rejection of His Son, nor was it an accommodation to a Roman and Jewish miscarriage of justice. It was according to "the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). Today we will take a journey back and connect the dots of God's unfolding plan of the cross throughout the ages.

Message SummaryA mother's love for her children is distinctive and irreplaceable. To watch a child suffer is crushing and almost intolerable for any mom. In this touching scene revealed in three verses, we not only see Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the foot of her Son's cross, we also learn how Jesus cared for His mother. Even from His place of extreme suffering, Jesus was thinking of others and His love for Mary is noteworthy for us.

Message SummaryThe world is filled with Apple's i-technology, which delivers on its promise to make connectivity and information readily accessible. But there is a deeper need within everyone, a thirst to be right with God, that no app or gadget can fulfill. How ironic that Jesus, the great Thirst-Quencher, would Himself be thirsty. It was part of the great exchange—His temporary thirst enabled yours to be quenched eternally!

Message SummaryWhile Jesus was doing His greatest work, He uttered His greatest words! Through the excruciating pain of a tormenting death, Jesus gave the most meaningful statements worthy of careful consideration. John records three of Jesus' seven statements uttered while on the cross. The sixth—and perhaps the most hopeful—is the one we consider today.

Message SummaryWatching someone you love die is always a heart-wrenching experience, especially when the victim experiences great suffering. For the apostle John, the death of Jesus was likewise difficult-but he saw a glimmer of hope, a silver lining in the dark clouds of death. This death was long ago anticipated and was being carefully monitored from the control center of heaven. Today we see why that's important.

Message SummaryYou can find an unending supply of books, pamphlets, and articles on discipleship in Christian churches and bookstores. Many of them will be predictably regimented and conventional, giving solid biblical references and calling Christians to ardently follow Christ—all great stuff. But not everyone's spiritual journey is identical. Some disciples are unexpected, and so is their story. Here are two disciples of Jesus who've been in the background and now step forward to care for the body of Christ after His death. Let's allow their story to inspire us.

Message SummaryWhen people grieve, they usually run the gamut of the emotional spectrum, from denial to bargaining to despair to anger to eventually hope. Mary Magdalene was in hopeless despair as she stood weeping by the grave of Jesus. The resurrected Christ deals tenderly with this woman as he reveals Himself to her and conveys hope for her future. Let's glean some principles for dealing with brokenhearted people.

Message SummaryOur relationship with Jesus isn't a secret to be hoarded; it is a story to be heralded! The disciples were seated behind closed doors (sounds like a lot of churches). Jesus wanted them out, giving away what they had been given. Let's see how these early followers went from panic to peace, from perplexity to purpose, and from protection to power. It's a great journey. Are you up for it?

Message SummaryThe apostle Thomas has been noted for his skeptical attitude. In fact, we refer to a skeptic as a "doubting Thomas." In this message from John 20, we consider four ways Thomas was able to rise up from doubt and become a joyful follower of Jesus.

Message SummaryI am not a great fisherman. I don't do it often and when I catch something, it's pure luck! My dad was the opposite—he loved it and was great at it. At least seven of Jesus' disciples were fishermen and here we see them plying their trade after the resurrection. Some beautiful lessons can be discovered about how to live while we wait for Jesus to come back for us.

Message SummaryOne of life's harshest realities is failure. The very sound of the word seems harsh to our sensibilities. We even harbor the age-old axiom, "Failure is not an option!" But failure is an option; in fact, it's a certainty. But discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping-stones to victory. In a post-resurrection interview, Jesus restores Peter with a fresh commission. If you have failed in your spiritual experience (and who hasn't), these principles will inspire.

Message SummaryAs John closes off his singular testimony of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he features some closing words of Jesus and Peter about himself (John). These final sentences provide some instructions for us as we await Christ's return. How should we live in light of who Jesus is, what Jesus did, and when Jesus will return?